Designing a kitchen means choosing a countertop that will add color and architectural pop, not to mention a place to prepare meals. When youíve got your eye on granite counters, youíll have a vast array of colors from which to choose.

Granite Materials

Because granite is a natural earth material (igneous rock), colors and patterns vary widely. Granite can also feature flecks and veining color variations. No two granite slabs are identical, so granite will always vary between pieces, which gives a granite counter eclectic appeal.
Time-Honored Colors

Like other home design features, the hottest granite colors change as trends evolve. Because granite is strong and durable, itís important to choose a color youíll enjoy for the life of the counter.

Color Families

Color Names

Different companies may have unique names for granite colors, but you will often find similar granite colors available amongst a variety of different companies. Request granite samples during the shopping process to enable you to compare countertop colors between companies.

A neutral color scheme says a few things about a kitchen design: It will be subtle, versatile and classic. The elegance of a neutral granite countertop lends itself to a palette composed of brown,
beige,
gold,
tan and
cream colors. This countertop style is often the most popular amongst granite choices because of its ability to complement a wide range of kitchen designs.

Neutral granite countertops include a number of stone colors, including names like Colonial Gold, Harvest Cream, Madurai Gold, Brown Pearl and Stormy Night. Each dealer will classify these stone types differently with the most simple label being "brown" or "yellow."

If you are seeking a classic kitchen scheme, like white or light wood cabinetry paired with subdued wall colors, then you may want to consider a neutral countertop to complete your kitchen design. Country style, rustic and contemporary kitchens can also all work well with a neutral granite countertop.

One thing to consider when choosing your countertops is how you will be using the surface. For example, if you will be spending a lot of time with food preparation and entertaining guests, then you may want to choose a neutral granite countertop that has a pattern in order to hide some of the inevitable marks that will result from normal wear and tear.

Letís talk about two of everyone's favorite subjects: you and your kitchen.

In a recent Houzz survey, we asked homeowners to answer a series of questions about their kitchen remodeling plans. The results are in and, wow, you all really hate your current kitchen countertops. Canít we all just get along with tile and Formica? Apparently not. Of the 7,812 people who responded, 94 percent plan to replace their countertops ó and fewer than 10 percent intend to use either of those classic materials.

Half of you (50%) will choose granite as the replacement, followed by 36 percent who will choose quartz. In fact, based on what the survey found, we can pretty much guess what your dream kitchen might look like.

It looks a lot like this, which ó surprise! ó happens to be the kitchen photo thatís been added to the most ideabooks on Houzz, and is one of the top 10 photos saved to ideabooks from July through September of 2013.

What is it about this kitchen that so many of you like? Well, 75 percent of you want soft, neutral colors in the kitchen. And 65 percent of you will choose stainless steel appliances and half will select a tile backsplash.

The majority of you are starting from scratch, either designing a kitchen as part of new construction or gutting your existing kitchen and beginning anew. So why not make it exactly what you want?

If you could really have it your way, most of you would opt for a nice, big range like this one. More than 50 percent of you said a "chef's stove" was your dream appliance, followed much farther behind by double ovens (18 percent) and an induction cooktop (9 percent). 35 percent will opt for hardwood floors.

My mother would toast the 7 percent of you who said a wine refrigerator topped your kitchen wish list.

Three-quarters of you will create a kitchen that's open to other spaces, like the dining and living rooms. Naturally, this offers an ideal opportunity to incorporate an island into your design, so 61 percent of you plan to include one.

Improving the overall look and feel of the kitchen was cited as the main motivating factor for remodeling, followed by improving function. Upgrading appliances and improving storage came next.
Traditional Kitchen by Starline Cabinets

Surprisingly, increasing home value came in at No. 5 as a motivating factor, barely beating out the desire to have an open floor plan and to improve entertaining space.

That means, for the most part, youíre remodeling your kitchen for you, not a future buyer. And many of you are also doing it with the environment in mind. Nearly half of you (49 percent) say that using ecofriendly appliances and materials in your kitchen is important. Go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back for that.

One survey respondent probably spoke for many people when she said, "I have more ideas than I have kitchen and funds." It would be interesting to do a follow-up survey someday to see how many people went ahead with their plans ó and how their plans changed over the course of the project.